The present invention relates generally to the field of dashboard controls, and more particularly to displaying dashboard controls without obstruction.
In a vehicle, a dashboard, also referred to as a dash, instrument panel, instrument cluster, or fascia, is a control panel placed in front of the driver, behind a steering wheel, housing controls (including instrumentation and user-engageable controls) for operation of the vehicle. In addition to displaying basic information provided by the speedometer, tachometer, odometer and/or fuel gauge, the instrument clusters of modern vehicles are far more complex and may feature gauges and tell-tales such as turn indicators, gearshift position, seat belt warning light, parking-brake-engagement warning light and an engine-malfunction light. The instrument panel may also include indicators for low fuel, low oil pressure, low tire pressure and faults in the airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) system. Heating and ventilation controls and vents, lighting controls, audio equipment, and automotive navigation systems may also be mounted on the dashboard.
A steering wheel, also referred to as a driving wheel or a hand wheel, is a type of steering control that is used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles, as well as buses, light and heavy trucks, and tractors. The steering wheel is the part of the steering system that is manipulated by the driver and responds to driver inputs.
A flexible display is a display that is flexible in nature; differentiable from the more prevalent traditional flat screen displays used in most electronics devices.